Paras offered food at the station to the four officers at the station, which his accomplices had contaminated with drugs, before stealing their guns and fleeing, according to the Times of India.

"Four of his accomplices were probably trailing him.... possibly in police uniform, and were ready at the station with an SUV. They would have supplied the sedated food as well," the newspaper said, quoting sources.

The newspaper said this was not the first time that Paras, who had been in custody since his arrest in March, has escaped his police guards.

In 2012 Paras, who gained notoriety as the right-hand man of a now slain criminal gang lord, fled after "luring his escorts into a store on the promise of buying them branded apparel", the newspaper said.